Hundreds of TV channels are available in the U.K, self-financing via advertising, subscription or both, with consumers able to choose which channels they want to watch.

The BBC is an anomaly in a free market economy, in that anybody owning a screen enabling them to watch TV must under threat of fine or even imprisonment pay the BBC for the privilege.

There have of course been many discussions on whether to abolish the license fee or not, but it’s always been left up to Govt to decide and inevitably we get half-measures with the BBC cutting costs in a PR operation.

Despite a general dissatisfaction with the BBC for many years, it’s their recent contempt for the Brexit Referendum result which has motivated the creation of this petition.

The BBC are mandated to remain impartial on political matters and have - in my opinion - shown blatant bias in favour of Remain and of the EU.

Not all will share this observation, which is why I’m not calling for the license fee to be scrapped, and am simply calling for the public who fund the BBC to be given that decision via a referendum.

If the vote was to scrap the license fee, those who voted to against doing so would not be deprived of watching the BBC and could pay to subscribe if advertising alone could not sustain its output.